Rota
by WhenTheWorldComesDown
Summary: Tony is offered the job in rota for a second time. Set in Season 7, near the time of the finale.


**A/N: This just randomly popped into my head one night.**

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Tony was confused. Director Vance has offered the team leader position in Rota, Spain again. The job he refused before because of Gibbs but this time it wasn't Gibbs that was keeping him back. It was Ziva. They had been messing around for years, flirting and joking but neither of them had never admitted their true feelings and he couldn't go anywhere unless he knew if she felt the same way about him as he does about her. Tony took a deep breath and knocked on her door.

"Tony," Ziva said, smiling brightly, "What are you doing here?"

"I uh, can I come in?" he asked her.

Ziva opened her door and walked into her living room. Tony followed her into her apartment closing her door behind him. They both sat down on Ziva's couch.

"Director Vance offered me another job, as a team leader." he told Ziva.

Ziva leaned over to hug him, "That is fantastic news Tony. You deserve your own team. I will get us drinks to celebrate properly."

She stood up and walked to the kitchen, as she got to the door Tony said, "Yeah it's great, but the job is in Rota."

Ziva turned around, she was stunned,"Rota as in Spain, like Europe, The Rota that is more than three thousand miles away? You're going to Spain, you're going to leave us all to go to Spain, your Spanish isn't even that good."

Tony sighed and hung his head.

"What about the team Tony, McGee and Abby and... what about me? What about us?" she asked him.

"Us?" he replied, " What about us Ziva? We never got to be an us, there was always something in the way. Five years, it hasn't happened yet and I'm not willing to give up a great job opportunity for something that night never happen. I need a guarantee that we will happen Ziva, I can't wait around for ever."

Ziva looked at him with a sad look, "Tony, I cannot guarantee you anything. You know that. It wouldn't work, we see each other too much at work to see each other outside of work aswell. It just wouldn't work. Sometimes love isn't enough."

"Then I guess I'm going to Rota, since there is nothing here for me." Tony looked at her with tears in his eyes, "Five years Ziva, and you aren't even willing to try?"

Ziva stood up and began to pace around her living room, "What if we try and it doesn't work?" she asked him, " then you don't have the Rota job, it will be awkward with us working in the same team and you will resent me because our failed relationship was what stopped you from going to Rota. I don't want us to end up hating each other Tony. You are my best friend, I can't have you hating me, I would rather you were in Spain where at least we could still talk to each other. I couldn't cope with you hating me."

Ziva was in tears by this point. Tony stood up to hold her, he tucked her head into his chest and rubbed circles in her back.

Tony looked at Ziva, "What are we doing? Five years Ziva, I'm not sure if I can throw away five years."

"I can't Tony. I can't promise you a relationship, I can't risk loosing you."

"You aren't even wiling to try?" he asked Ziva, "I don't have to give Vance an answer for another week and a half, we could try, you know, see if it would work."

Ziva looked at him and untangled herself from his embrace. She didn't know what she wanted.

Tony looked at her and said, "You don't want this do you?"

"I do want this but what if it doesn't work and you still leave, you-"

"Ziva! Will you stop worrying about what might happen an-"

"You can't miss what you've never had Tony!" she screamed at him,"I can't miss you again, I've missed you for two summers now, I can't cope with a third."

"You missed me last summer?" he asked in disbelief,"you hated me last summer, you almost shot me in Tel Aviv."

"I didn't hate you," she whispered," I tried to but I couldn't and I hated it because you somehow found a way into my heart and I couldn't get you out."

"Then lets try this, Ziva. We can make it work, we just need to try."

Ziva nodded and smiled at him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her bedroom. Tony grinned and raised his eyebrows at her.

Ziva laughed," We only have a week and a half to try this, lets not waste time."


End file.
